USA Esports unveiled itself as a nonprofit advocating for federal support for esports. Their board includes esports heavyweights.
USA Esports, a non-profit organization promising to build a pipeline for the youth and their future in professional esports leagues, launched on March 17, 2026. Their board of directors includes familiar names, like Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg, Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert, and Mirna “athxna” Noureldin.
What is USA Esports?
USA Esports introduces itself as “an organization bringing together the best esports talent in the United States to represent our country on the international stage.” A post written by its President & CEO, Jesse Bodony, says that this is a direct result of the Olympic esports announcement in 2024.
Bodony previously served as the Executive Director of Voice of Intercollegiate Esports (VOICE). He revealed that USA Esports was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit last August 2025.
International esports competition is here. Nations around the world are preparing their athletes to compete globally. The United States, for all of its talent and for all of its history in this space, is lagging behind.
Our mission is to bring the US up to speed. We’ll achieve this by supporting esports athletes in achieving sustained competitive excellence in domestic and international competition. Our goal is also to promote esports in the United States, and to create a safe, positive environment for athletes, members, and fans.
Jesse Bodony, President & CEO, USA Esports
USA Esports aims to be a National Governing Body to institutionalize esports as a federally-backed entity, similar to how traditional sports have USA Basketball and USA Baseball. “We’ll be bringing together trusted veterans in the space to set safety and training standards, sanction competition, and build a pipeline from K-12 all the way through the pros,” said Bodony. Eventually, a kid picking up a controller or mouse for the first time will have a real pathway to pro or to college, just like any other sport.”
It’s worth noting that the United States Esports Federation already exists and has been recognized by the International Esports Federation since 2018. The USEF says that it supports “top game publishers in the qualifications of esports competitors to officially represent the United States at international competition” on its website.
USA Esports Board of Directors
Some names on the USA Esports Board of Directors may be familiar to many esports fans.
Dr. Bowen Chung is a member of the UCLA faculty and a board member of the LCS Player Association. “We are dedicated to supporting athletes in achieving competitive excellence, promoting the growth of the sport, and fostering a safe, positive environment for our entire community,” said Dr. Chung.
Heather “sapphiRe” Mumm has vast experience in the FPS space. Currently, she is an observer for VALORANT events, but she used to apply her observing talents in CS:GO matches. Before that, she was a professional Counter-Strike player.
Bjergsen is one of the most prominent names in professional League of Legends. He dominated the NALCS and became synonymous with TSM at its peak.
athxna may be a familiar face if you watch VCT Americas. She is often on broadcast as a commentator and analyst, but she also has some years of professional VALORANT play under her belt.
n0thing was a mainstay of professional Counter-Strike. His experience in his decade-long career brought him to the stage as a player, analyst, and caster.
Director of Maryville Esports, Daniel Clerke, is serving as the President of Esports Operations.
USA Esports also revealed the USA Esports Alliance, which involves many organizations, clubs, and institutions.
“This growing group of clubs and institutions share a common vision for elevating national competition and creating new opportunities for players across the country,” said USA Esports.